The invention relates to a holder for an optical device for changing the orientation of the optical device, in particular for photographic, video or film cameras, having a first component having a first pivot axis for connecting to a tripod and a second component having a second pivot axis for connecting to the optical device.
Such holders are also referred to as three-way heads. A three-way head is a tripod head for photographic tripods, i.e., a holder for an optical device, in particular for photographic, video or film cameras, by means of which the optical device is fastened to the tripod and the orientation of the optical device can be set or changed. A three-way head can be independently adjusted in three axes. The tripod head can be pivoted horizontally, inclined up and down and tilted sideways.
A specific form of the three-way head is the geared tripod head. Geared tripod heads are tripod heads having a gear drive for adjusting the three axes. They are advantageous compared with conventional three-way tripod heads in that each axis thereof can be set in a simple, stable and in particular more precise manner. Setting using self-locking gear, drives protects heavy camera constructions from falling or being lowered. The precise adjustability is a decisive advantage in particular for exact orientation of view cameras and for precisely matching up the individual photographs in panoramic photography.
Geared tripod heads are available inter alia from the companies Manfrotto (400 series) and Arca Swiss (Cube C1). The Arca Swiss Cube C1 is apparent inter alia from EP 0 974 862 B1.
The previously available models are relatively large in construction and are also heavy. Furthermore, the holding force thereof relative to the size and weight is low in comparison with ballhead tripod heads.